How Much Chlorine Should You Add to Your Pool?
Having clean, safe, and beautiful water is every pool owner’s dream. In order to get that, you need to sanitize the pool. Using chlorine is one of the most common methods for killing bacteria, destroying algae, and oxidizing other non-living organic contaminants like sweat, body oils, detergents, cosmetics, and more. But just how much chlorine do you need to add to the pool to keep it safe for swimming? How many chlorine tablets do you need for your pool each week? What about liquid chlorine or chlorine granules — what's the correct dosage? We've put together an easy-to-read chart that helps you calculate how much you should to add to your pool. This helpful chlorine dosage chart breaks it down by the different types of chlorine in relation to the size of your pool. The dosages below are generally recommended amounts of chlorine needed for routine maintenance.
Here are a few tips before we dive into the chart:
- If you are using chlorine products as your primary sanitizer, we recommend maintaining a residual chlorine level of 1–4 ppm to effectively kill bacteria and prevent algae.
- You may want to adjust the chlorine quantity depending upon the weather and your pool usage patterns. Warmer temperatures, stormy weather, and extra swimmers will require more sanitizer to keep the water clean and healthy.
- Chlorine works most effectively in well-balanced water, so it's important to test your pool water at least once per week during swimming season. Stop by your local Leslie’s for a FREE AccuBlue® 10-point water test, or use an at-home water test kit. This will help you understand your pool’s chemistry levels, as well as highlight the current Free Chlorine level.
| Product | Type | % Available Chlorine | FAC Increase | Application | 5K Gal. | 10K Gal. | 15K Gal. | 20K Gal. | 25K Gal. | 30K Gal. |
| Leslie's 3" Jumbo Tabs | Trichlor | 90% | Maintain 1–4 ppm | Chlorinator, Weekly Refill | 1 Tab | 1–2 Tabs | 2–3 Tabs | 3–4 Tabs | 4–5 Tabs | 5–6 Tabs |
| Leslie's Chlor Brite | Dichlor | 55% | 1 ppm | Routine Sanitizer, As Needed | 1.5 Oz. | 3 Oz. | 4.5 Oz. | 6 Oz. | 7.5 Oz. | 9 Oz. |
| Leslie's Chlor Brite | Dichlor | 55% | 6.8 ppm | Weekly Shock Treatment | 10.5 Oz. | 21 Oz. | 31.5 Oz. | 42 Oz. | 52.5 Oz. | 63 Oz. |
| Leslie's Power Powder Plus | Cal-Hypo | 70% | 5 ppm | Weekly Shock Treatment | 4.5 Oz. | 9 Oz | 13.5 Oz. | 18 Oz. | 22.5 Oz. | 27 Oz. |
| Leslie's Chlor Sticks | Trichlor | 90% | Maintain 1–4 ppm | Chlorinator, Weekly Refill | 1 Stick | 1–2 Sticks | 2–3 Sticks | 3–4 Sticks | 4–5 Sticks | 5–6 Sticks |
| Leslie's Liquid Chlorine | Sodium Hypochlorite | 12.50% | 1 ppm | Routine Sanitizer, As Needed | 5 Fl. Oz. | 10 Fl. Oz. | 15 Oz. | 20.5 Oz. | 25.5 Oz. | 31 Oz. |
| Leslie's Liquid Chlorine | Sodium Hypochlorite | 12.50% | 6 ppm | Weekly Shock Treatment | 0.25 Gal. | 0.5 Gal. | 0.75 Gal. | 1 Gal. | 1.25 Gal. | 1.5 Gal. |
| Leslie's Fresh 'N Clear | MPS | 0% | 0 ppm | Weekly Oxidizing Treatment | 0.5 Lbs. | 1 Lb. | 1.5 Lbs. | 2 Lbs. | 2.5 Lbs. | 3 Lbs. |
This chart is used for routine chlorine applications and weekly maintenance, so remember to adjust your sanitizer levels during the peak season or as often as needed in order to maintain a Free Available Chlorine level between 1–4 ppm. If your Total Available Chlorine level is more than 0.3 ppm above your Free Available Chlorine level, your pool is due for a shock treatment to get rid of the accumulating chloramines (Combined Chlorine) in the water. When using any pool chemical, always carefully read and follow product label instructions to ensure proper application techniques and dosage recommendations for your pool.
Once you know how much chlorine to add to the pool, it's important to make sure your water is properly balanced. Well-balanced water ensures your sanitizer can work as efficiently as possible, and will ultimately help your chemical budget go further. Stop by your local Leslie's for a FREE in-store AccuBlue® water test to assess 10 of the most important aspects of water chemistry. In just 60 seconds, you'll also receive an easy-to-follow, step-by-step water treatment plan that's customized to your pool. Our friendly in-store experts can also provide insights on which chlorine types will work best for your pool's needs.